


Never Be Alone

by Achrya



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, M/M, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-27
Updated: 2015-06-27
Packaged: 2018-04-06 10:06:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4217535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Achrya/pseuds/Achrya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James nodded then stared intently into his coffee cup. “That’s...seems impossible.I...He. We? Bucky? Bucky thought about marrying Steve sometimes. He’d think about a world where that sort of thing would be okay but it was impossible then. Never thought I’d live to see it”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Be Alone

**Author's Note:**

> Don't own a thing.  
> A short little ficlet to celebrate Equal Marriage Rights. *confetti* Just a tiny slice of a story, really.   
> Pairings: Steve/Bucky and Pepper/Tony.

 

Tony, Pepper, and James (James or Barnes but never Bucky) are standing around the kitchen when the announcement happens. It pre-empts a story about OsCorp and maybe Tony takes some delight in that because Norman Osborn is basically the worst and even though they deal in different areas for the most part he still takes delight in anything that might get under Norman’s skin.

The image of a solemn woman discussing patents for some new drug switched suddenly to a younger woman with an impossibly wide smile on her face and cheeks flushed with happiness.

“It is official! The Supreme Court has ruled that ALL states must all same-sex marriages! Today is a historic day and the atmosphere-” She trailed off, looking over her shoulder as the crowd behind her rippled with excitement and dozens of voices rose up in an happy shout.

“Oh.” Pepper said, a pleased smile curving her lips. “We should get a statement out. Maybe something on twitter too.”

Tony nodded while leaning onto the counter, watching the news switch to show the streets of DC, already awash with rainbow patterned flags, painted faces, and signs. People were laughing, crying, hugging, and kissing as the camera panned over them.

He started to say something about the kind of statement the company should put on their official social media. His company was a big proponent of equality and he took a lot of pride in the visibility of their stance. When some companies were keeping quiet to avoid controversy he’d always happily made his opinion known. There were some things more important than pleasing a bunch of suits who did nothing but fret over image. 

Then he caught James’ expression. Confused, slightly glassy eyed and head tilted to the side. Tony blinked, frowning. He knew James, and by proxy Steve, were old school in the most literal sense of the word but he’d kind of assumed there were... _together_.

Since the day James had walked off the street and into the lobby of the tower he and Steve had rarely been apart. James had started out living in Steve’s room and even when Tony had offered him his own quarters he’d quietly refused. And maybe, just maybe, on a few occasions he’d followed James into the spare room of Steve’s space and noticed that the bed was looked like it’d never been slept in and some of the surfaces, like the bedside table, had a thin covering of dust on them.

Not that he’d said anything.

Wasn’t his business, as long as they were happy and James wasn’t trying to kill people in their sleep, running away, or calling him ‘Howard’ anymore because REALLY how awkward had that been anyway?

But maybe he’d misread the whole situation because right now the other man looked troubled, like he couldn’t quite grasp what was going on. But he rarely misjudged that sort of thing. Tony Stark, former and totally reformed slut who'd enjoyed the company of men and women before deciding to spend his life trying to be worthy of one Pepper Potts, had a very fine tuned gaydar. It was so spot on it really should have been studied as some kind of marvel of human biology. It was  _that_ good. Even Pepper was forced to admit he was never wrong. 

“Something wrong?” Tony asked, keeping his tone light. Pepper’s smile didn’t fade but Tony could see her eyes sharpen just a bit.

“This.” James pointed at the TV. “I...it’s what it sounds like?”

He exchanged a look with Pepper. She cleared her throat then spoke in the same calm careful voice she used when Tony was in the middle of a multiday labfest and running on no sleep and tons of caffeine.

“It’s marriage equality for everyone in the nation. It probably seems impossible to you, considering, but we’ve been moving towards it for years. It’s...it’s amazing. Some people thought it might never happen but there it is.” Something sparkled in her eyes and Tony couldn’t help but be acutely aware of how amazing she was. “It means so much to so many people.”

James nodded then stared intently into his coffee cup. “That’s...seems impossible.I...He. We? Bucky?" It had been alarming at first to hear James talk about the man he'd been before Hydra as a separate entity but according to Steve Bucky and James were different. Similar but different and once upon a time Steve had inhaled painfully and looked utterly broken and lost as he said things like that but now it seemed fine, good even. Like he'd moved on from Bucky and was happy with James. "Bucky thought about marrying Steve sometimes. He’d think about a world where that sort of thing would be okay but it was impossible then. Never thought I’d live to see it”

His lips quirked upward in an indulgent grin, as if saying ‘Isn’t that stupid? Who could imagine such a thing?’

Tony wanted to inform him that, actually, it had been okay to do so in New York for a little while now but Pepper elbowed him in the ribs hard enough to make him wheeze. He clutched his side, shifting away from her and her dark glare.

“So why don’t  you now?” Pepper asked. “Ask him, I mean?”

Tony considered what kind of publicity a wedding between Captain America and James Barnes, American hero turned brainwashed assassin turned hero would garner. Then he smirked slowly. It would be chaos. There would be outrage. It would probably touch hundreds of thousands who looked up to Cap, make an impact.

Also Tony threw a hell of a party and what would be a better party than this? It would be legendary. People would talk about it forever. 

“Do you still want to?” Pepper continued. “You, now.”

“I’m not the same as what Steve had before.” James said quietly. The fingers on his metal hand flexed, sections rippling and catching the light.

“So? Steve changed just like everything else. Brand new world and all that.” Tony offered. Pepper made a quiet surprised noise. Tony decided to not be surprised by it even though it wasn’t like this was the first time he’d ever said something worthwhile. A little credit would be nice

James blinked at him, looking like he was seeing Tony for the first time then nodded slowly. They stayed silent, Pepper’s hand clutching his tightly, as James walked out of the kitchen and in the general direction of the elevator.

Tony hesitated a moment then arched an eyebrow at Pepper. “I’m going to throw the best wedding ever.”

She laughed, rolling her eyes. “I don’t think you ‘throw’ weddings Tony.”

“I’m an innovator. A trailblazer, if you will, and I say we throw weddings.” He said reaching for his Starkpad. “It’s going to be the most amazing event anyone’s ever seen. Do you think I can rent the White House?”

 

 


End file.
